Need to Register?

Dretu Aliur · December 24th, 2008

Hi. recently bought this emulsion that i never used before. it is dual cure ,blue in color, that didnt come pre-sensitized. i am testing it out and doing the step test with it moving it an inch every two minutes. first try i way under exposed it kinda on purpose so i could see what i was working with. i couldnt spray it out after the test exposure. "correction" anything that was way under exposed will spray out with my shower hand sprayer(massager). but it has to be really unexposed (like the first few lines of my step test) to spray out. so a few days passed and i bought a pressure washer to successfully spray my exposed screen , cuz even emulsion that is exposed but not quite fully exposed wont spray out with regular shower water pressure like all the emulsions i have used in the past. i just tried the step test again tonight. this time purposely exposed it longer than i would an image just to see what color to match up the step with. but the damn pressure washer is too f-ing loud for my neighbors.so i have to wait till tomorrow to finish spraying it out. so now i have a step test that i have no idea what my exposure time is for this new emulsion once again. it has been like 5 years since i screen printed last so i forgot what kind of emulsion i used to use. so here is my question.ok ready....can you recommend an emulsion that doesnt require a pressure washer to spray out your image after exposure????? cuz at this rate i am about to snap and go on a killing spree with my pressure washer!!!!! starting with the supplier who suggested i buy this **** even though he knew i was using a shower sprayer and not a pressure washer!!! (thx a-hole you just cost me $100+ on a new pressure washer)

treadhead · December 24th, 2008

The brand I use is Ulano (it is pink but can't remember the number) and i wash my screens out with the mist setting on my garden hose sprayer. I only use the pressure washer for cleaning the screens.

out da box · December 25th, 2008

Frustrating ain't it? Chromaline udc-2 (blue-green) washes out with very little pressure and effort, long as you don't burn it for a half-hour. For me, photo-polymer like Ulano qtx (no mixing-pink) and chromaline chromablue (no mixing-blue) takes more effort to wash out, BUT they're both really fast.

treadhead · December 25th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by out da box


	Frustrating ain't it? Chromaline udc-2 (blue-green) washes out with very little pressure and effort, long as you don't burn it for a half-hour. For me, photo-polymer like Ulano qtx (no mixing-pink) and chromaline chromablue (no mixing-blue) takes more effort to wash out, BUT they're both really fast.

I think that's the one I'm using...the Ulano QTX....

Thanks!

Dretu Aliur · December 25th, 2008

yeah the QTX is the pink stuff. i heard good things about that before. so with the QTX it "WILL" spray away anything that isn't "completely" exposed???

Dretu Aliur · December 25th, 2008

you said it "Ridgely"....frustrating indeed.lol.

out da box · December 25th, 2008

Like I said, with my set-up, when exposing qtx, it's very easy to over-expose, and close up the fine lines and small holes. I used to burn qtx in 10-15 sec! Even then I would lose some fine resolution. If I burned it for 25-35 seconds, I could barely pressure wash it out- it would completely lock in.
The udc-2 is a lot more forgiving, but you have to burn longer. And I can hold WAAAY more detail with the dual-cure stuff.

treadhead · December 25th, 2008

I use a 500 W Halogen about 18 inches above the screen and burn for 5 minutes if I coat one side and 10 minutes if I coat 2 sides. I use the the mist setting on my garden sprayer and it takes less than 5 minutes to rinse out....usually less.

ambitious · December 25th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by treadhead


	I use a 500 W Halogen about 18 inches above the screen and burn for 5 minutes if I coat one side and 10 minutes if I coat 2 sides. I use the the mist setting on my garden sprayer and it takes less than 5 minutes to rinse out....usually less.

Thank's for sharing that info guy's.

tpitman · December 25th, 2008

If it takes a pressure washer, you're severely overexposing. You should be able to wet down the screen, let it sit a couple of minutes (but make sure it stays wet), then wash out with a garden hose sprayer. Depending on the emulsion I've used a pressure washer to wash out screens after exposure to get the most edge detail, but you've got to make sure the exposure is right on the money or somtimes small details will wash away.

The best emulsion I've found for shirt printing is Saati Textil. It looks and exposes like QTX, but costs at least 1/3 less. Saati makes one of the best meshes, and all of their SaatiChem line of products work well. Very fast exposure, easy washout, and easy reclaim, as long as you're careful about your ink clean-up chemicals. For clean-up, Easisolv 801 for a press wash, Franmar's Greeneway or Beanee-Doo for ink degradent at the washout sink, and Simple Green for final degreasing. DON'T use mineral spirits to clean the screen with Saati Textil or Ulano QTX.

tdigital · December 26th, 2008

Here's an article by Marc Coudray that suggests using one as well.. ScreenWeb | The Benefits of High-Pressure Washes and High-Tension Screens

treadhead · December 26th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by tpitman


	DON'T use mineral spirits to clean the screen with Saati Textil or Ulano QTX.

Uh..oh.....

Why not? I use mineral spirits to help remove the ink from the screen before reclaming. What happens?

tpitman · December 27th, 2008

My experience has been for the emulsion to be difficult or impossible to remove during reclaim. Many of the pure photopolymer emulsions will indicate that strong solvents aren't recommended for that reason. Graphic emulsions will usually tolerate them. Mineral spirits is also bad for your health over time.

Need to Register?

Resources

T-Shirt Sites

to pressure wash or not to pressure wash? that is the question!!!!!